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Native birds and bats throughout the state now have a vehicle just for them at the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center. Thanks to a generous challenge grant by the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and dozens of individuals who rallied together to answer the challenge, the new state-of-the-art native wildlife rehabilitation facility now has an official vehicle that provides wildlife transport to and from the Center.

HWC Founder, President and Center Director Linda Elliott with the new wildlife rescue vehicle

The new wildlife rescue vehicle could not have come at a better time. Since the official launch of wildlife care in September 2012, the HWC has received sick and injured animals from all main Hawaiian Islands, many of which have needed to be picked up from the airport or from the pier. With activity continuing to increase, the new vehicle provides a peace of mind that there will always be a safe, reliable vehicle available for wildlife rescue missions.

Says HWC Founder, President and Center Director Linda Elliott, “this vehicle is extremely meaningful to us because it is a telling show of support from our statewide and national ‘ohana and our local community. We are thrilled to receive this critical resource and are excited about how it will increase our response capacity for the benefit of Hawai‘i’s native wildlife. Mahalo to everyone who made this happen!”

The vehicle has only been at the facility for two weeks, but has already been used to rescue a downed Newell’s Shearwater and to pick up supplies for the two Maui Nene and one O‘ahu ‘Auku‘u currently in care.

As the only facility of its kind in the State, HWC is continuously working on expanding its network of volunteer transporters to get sick and injured animals to the Center for care and healed, healthy animals to their appropriate release location, including back to their island of origin when necessary. If you would like to become a member of the HWC Wings for Wildlife air transport team or the Wheels for Wildlife ground transport team, please contact the Center at (808) 884-5000, info@hawaiiwildlifecenter.org. Individuals from all islands are welcomed to join.